collection
collection The Lungarno Collection Magazine
florence special friends Bianca Balti Massimiliano Giornetti Davide Rampello Stephen Jones Giorgio Albertazzi
N.1 S pring - S ummer I ssue 2012
itineraries Florence by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo Contemporary Rome Maremma by Gaddo della Gherardesca
Boutique Gianfranco Lotti : Firenze, Via della Vigna Nuova 45r - tel.+39 55 211301 www.gianfrancolotti.com
interviews Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Francesca Colombo Giovanni Gentile style Michele Bรถnan Mona Kuhn at Gallery Hotel Art Fashion Museums in Florence A Swan Cruise & Lungarno Collection city tips
hidden
SULLE MIGLIORI TAVOLE DEL MONDO
L’UNICO MODO PER SCOPRIRE I SEGRETI DEI GRANDI CHEF È SEDERSI A TAVOLA CON LORO. VI ACCORGERESTE CHE C’È UNA COSA CHE NON MANCA MAI, ANZI DUE.
Highlights
collection
‘I
comfort made my revolutionary
shoes by providing support to the arch of the foot , allowing it to move as an inverted pendulum ’. S alvatore F erragamo ’ s secret
Highlights
collection
water L ong
before its foundation
R oman age (59 B.C.), F lorence was nothing more in the
than a ford on the arno river , discovered by the etruscans .
F lorence
was nonetheless of
importance , as it marked the natural boudary between northern and southern italy .
F lorence ’ s
secret
Highlights
collection
pureness
N ever
hide nor disguise ,
but on the contrary , show absolute cleanliness and pureness .
E ach
guest of ours
must feel like the first one entering the room .
T he
secret of hospitality
Highlights
collection
Fashion T he
first fashion show in the
I talian design was held F lorence , where visonaries such as F erragamo , G ucci and E milio P ucci were creating the myth ‘M ade in I taly ’ and F lorence ’ s reputation as the world ’ s capital of elegance . S tyle ’ s secrets history of in
Highlights
collection
the
SURPRIsE
If
you ’ re anywhere near
P antheon
and it ’ s pouring , take
cover there and watch the rainwater fall and draw a perfect circle , as it partly converts to mist .
R ome ’ s
secret
Highlights
collection
Go hunting! H otel L ungarno or L ungarno S uites ? G allery H otel A rt or C ontinentale ? H ave fun trying to find out where this detail is ...
O ur
secret detail
17 Editorial Histor y and fer ment by Leonardo Ferragamo
19
Art & stYle
76-79
48-49
Palazzo Capponi-Vettor i
Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Break r anks!
and Palazzo Cor sini
‘Private’ affairs
50-51
food
Friends
Francesc a Colombo Musical attire
82-85
22-23
52-53
Bianc a B alti Gir l’s eyes
Giovanni gentile Wor kshop, sublime
Beatr ice Segoni, Chef at Bor go San Jacopo
24-25
54-57
86-87
MIchele bÖnan A question of feeling
Typical restaur ants
notes Our Wor ld
Davide Rampello The ar t of communication
26-27 Massimiliano Giornetti My style credo
58-61
Doors of eden
the ‘Buche’ of Florence by Beatrice Segoni
Museum of emotions Hotel Lungar no’s ar t collection
88-89
62-65
Kareem’s creative exper iments
Native The cur rent exhibition at Galler y Hotel Ar t by Isabella Brancolini
at the Fusion Bar
66-67
Florence 2012, Events
Itinerary
Portrait of a lady The Continentale’s photogaller y
tips
34-37
68-69
28-29 Stephen Jones Milliner from the Moon
30-31 Giorgio albertazzi My theatre
The Florence I Love Florence by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo
38-41
Rooms of beauty Fashion Museums in Florence
Surprise me!
90 The must-sees
92-96 Tips What to do and where
70-71
to go in Florence and Rome
Urbe Nova Contempor ar y Rome
Bien vivre à porter Lungar no Details Store
42-45
72-75
Cross selling
Exclusive perceptions Swan and Lungar no Collection
Lungar no Collection’s univer se
Maremma LIMITED EDITioN Inter view with Gaddo della Gherardesca
98 and what’s new
Hotel Lungarno Florence - A Luxur y Hotel 73 rooms and suites
Gallery Hotel Art Florence - A Design Hotel 74 rooms and suites
Continentale Florence - A Design Hotel 43 rooms and suites
Lungarno Suites Florence - Luxur y Suites 44 suites
Lungarno Details Florence - Design Store
Stylish and utter ly charming with stunning views onto the Ponte Vecchio, Hotel Lungarno features over 400 wor ks of ar t including Cocteau and Picasso.
Italy’s fir st design hotel, Galler y Hotel Ar t is a favor ite amongst the fashion set of Florence . Just a few steps from Ponte Vecchio.
Over looking the Ponte Vecchio, this vibr ant and dynamic contempor ar y hotel is the place to be and to be seen in Florence .
Spacious and intimate suites, the attention of a char ming hotel, and a wonderful view of the Ponte Vecchio.
The store offer s a stylish selection of home furnishings, and limited edition items some of which can be found throughout our luxur y hotels.
Villa Le Rose Florence - A Luxur y Retreat 6 bedroom villa
Palazzo C apponi Meetings & Events Histor ic Palace
Marina di Sc arlino Yacht Club & Residences Tuscany - Luxur y Apar tments
Portrait Suites Rome - Luxur y Suites 14 suites
Swan Sailing Yacht Mediterranean & Caribbean Seas
Just minutes away from the hear t of Florence, this 16th centur y Villa is a one of a kind historic residence with relaxing garden, delightful pool, frescoed salons and six private suites.
This 15th centur y Palace with sumptuous frescoes and the latest technology, provides a magical stage for meetings, congresses and prestigious events in the hear t of Florence.
On the Tuscan coast, in the hear t of Maremma, this unique destination features contempor ar y and ultr a spacious apar tments over looking the sea.
The finest location in Rome , on Via Condotti, a stone throw away from the Spanish Steps, the Por tr ait Suites reflect the glamour of life of Salvatore Fer r agamo.
Consider some of the finest yachts in the wor ld, Swan Solleone and Swan Vir ago offer an exclusive sea vacation with routes to the Mediter r anean Islands and the Car ibbean.
Booking & Info - Lungarno Collection Bor go S.S.Apostoli, 29- Firenze - Ph. +39 055 27264000 - lungar no@lungar nocollection.com
collection
The Lungarno Collection Magazine N.1 Spring - Summer 2012 editor in chief Matteo Parigi Bini Co-editor in chief Teresa Favi Editorial Director Valeriano Antonioli Managing Editor Cristina Fogliatto, Phillip Haller editor martina bec attini, Sabrina Bozzoni, Lorenzo Cotrozzi, Francesc a Lombardi, ALessandra Luc arelli, mila montagni contributors giorgio albertazzi, bianc a balti, Isabella Brancolini, giovanna gentile ferragamo, massimiliano giornetti, stephen jones, davide rampello, beatrice segoni photographers Lorenzo Cotrozzi (cover), Dario Garofalo, Tommaso La Pera, Miki Nakano, NewPressPhoto art editors Chiara Bini, Alessandro Patrizi translations Tessa Conticelli, karin antonioli, The Florentine advertising director Alex Vittorio Lana advertising Ilaria Marini, Alessandra Nardelli publisher Alex Vittorio Lana & Matteo Parigi Bini www.gruppoeditoriale.com Issue 1 (legal registration pending)
Gruppo Editoriale
Gruppo Editoriale
Editorial
collection
Histor y and fer ment ph. Miki Nakano
Leonardo Ferragamo, founder
‘I’ m
personally very fond of
F lorence
and proud to share the city ’ s liveliness with visitors from all over the world ’ Following his ear ly year s of success
reached wor ldwide fame.
in the United States my father
The extr aordinar y gift of our father
Salvatore came back to Italy in 1927
to r aise and to allow us to live in
in search of a place where he
Florence positively influenced our lives
could produce his extr aordinar y
and remains an ongoing source of
creations dreamed up by his hear t
inspir ation throughout our per sonal and
and mind.
professional life .
Florence won him over at once ,
I’m per sonally ver y fond of Florence
with its incompar able cultur al
and proud to share the city’s
her itage and beauty as well as its
liveliness, palpable in ever y cor ner,
gifted cr aftsmen, who embr aced
with reader s from all over the wor ld.
the values of the city’s wonderful
The goal of this magazine is shar ing
histor y. From that year on, my
stor ies of Florentine per sonalities and
father’s ideas were put into pr actice conveys the pr ide and honor of living in by Florentine shoemaker s and
this magnificent city.
17
ph. alessandrobencini.com
Firenze, Forte dei Marmi, Milano, Parigi www.angelacaputi.com
Notes
collection
Our wor ld
Valeriano Antonioli, editorial director
‘W e
have created this magazine for all our hotel guests who enjoy traveling ’
For whom is the Lungarno Collection
‘Hidden’ is the first issue’s theme. Is
magazine meant?
there something special hidden inside it?
For all our hotel guests (both current and
We hope to entice reader s with the many
future) who enjoy traveling. We wish to
secrets of Rome, Florence and Tuscany, as well
provide them with all the information
as of the per sonalities who embar ked on this
needed to enjoy a unique experience and
journey of discover y with us.
capture unforgettable memories.
The secret of hospitality?
A 100-page six-monthly magazine. What
The magazine tells it all…read it and find out!
is the underlying theme running through Does it still make sense to talk about all issues?
luxur y?
We will take our reader s on unusual journeys, I would rather talk about the “essence of by telling stories of original insight, including
luxur y”. The highest quality and standards
ideas and tips for a wonderful and memorable - may they be innovative or classic - subtle stay in Italy. Interesting per sonalities of the
and known to few.
wor ld of culture and fashion share their
What is your motto?
wor ld of experience.
Innovation is ver y fragile: it’s easy to kill.
19
LOCMAN
速
ITALY
MONTECRISTO Movimento meccanico automatico S.I.O. (Scuola Italiana di Orologeria) o cronografo al quarzo. Titanio e acciaio. Impermeabile fino a 10 atm.
friends Bianca Balti Davide Rampello Massimiliano Giornetti Stephen Jones Giorgio Albertazzi
hidden 21
Friends
collection
G i r l ’s e yes Bianca Balti
A Continentale fan. Bianca is my name , but also a color, an inherent par t of my nature . I say what I think and I do what I want, always. I love the wor ld of children, filled with cuddling and kissing, I picture it
C rystal - clear
T hat of B ianca B alti , the face of S alvatore F erragamo ’ s new perfume , S ignorina . E thereal , refined ,
as white as snow. That is why I consider my daughter Matilde’s bir th the luckiest event
purity .
sophisticated and intimate
of my life . In a sense , she is my living lucky char m. I will never stop thanking my parents for the woman and mother I am now, because they never tr ied to stop me from being myself, they never tr ied to keep me from dreaming. And so, when I close my eyes and I picture my future , I see my house in Milano, which is still under renovation, with its small garden. I hope it will forever be my nest, for my children and myself (I’m planning to have many children), the roof under which I will gather my family and feel safe . One of my dearest childhood memor ies is the wood cr ackling in the fireplace and the pleasant smell of freshly-baked
The Trip
To the Seychelles islands with my brother, when we were ver y young, being family for one another
The Memory The Essence
Fresh and intense jasmine
bread-sticks in my family’s home in Valle d’Aosta. I would like my daughter’s memor ies to be as sweet and precious as mine .
22
A str aw hat. A gift from my father dur ing a weekend spent in Florence . I was a ver y young gir l in a blue polka-dot dress. The hat made me feel like a pr incess
The Secret
A thin layer of foundation makes me feel perfect all day long
I talian supermodel B ianca B alti ( born on M arch 19, 1984) is the face
S alvatore F erragamo ’ s of
newest perfume
23
( born
on
D avide R ampello A ugust 24, 1947) is a television director and art
and communication expert
24
Friends
collection
The ar t of communication Davide Rampello
A Hotel Lungarno fan. I was born in Sicily, studied in Treviso and attended the Univer sity of Bologna. I moved to Milano in the sixties, the year s of creative fer vor, and television seemed to be the place of invention and ingenuity. I star ted
A fter
my career as director and screenwriter at
a brilliant television career ,
he became one of the world ’ s top art
RAI television. Those were the year s of the
managers .
fir st commercial broadcaster s and moving
di
is his greatest
to Fininvest was a natural progression. I became ar tistic director of Channel 5,
‘T riennale
‘F lorens ’
in
F lorence ,
M ilano ’ success .
the latest challenge
then Fininvest’s communication manager. Since the nineties I have been involved with an old passion of mine , ar t, in the organizational field. Since 2003 I have been in charge of the Milano Triennale , a huge per sonal and professional success and a model expor ted abroad. A format I applied in Florence as ar tistic director of the Florens Biennale: a series of for ums and events devoted to ar t and environment that, in 2010, brought 120 thousand people Florence I appreciate its to Florence . Florens is based on the new Renaissance concept that cultural and environmental histor y, but also heritage walks hand in hand with business. its ability to innovate There’s no better place than Florence to put this into practice . A city looking ahead, yet not forgetting its heritage of what urged Renaissance ar tists to wor k, change and improve (the next Florence Biennale
Innovation curiosity
I am intr igued by the Lungar no Hotel’s ar t collection. In the hear t of Florence , a galler y featur ing twentieth-centur y master s of ar t, unknown to most
will be held in November 2012, Ed.).
25
The for mat of ‘Florens’, based on the new concept that cultur al and environmental her itage should walk hand in hand with business
The Secret
My lifelong passion for ar t and theatre (which, in the past few year s, I have been able to turn into a job, so it is not much of a secret anymore)
Friends
collection
M y s t y l e credo Massimiliano Giornetti
A Continentale fan. I have always loved fashion. The pur suit of absolute perfection and of an unconditioned ideal of beauty is the foundation of my style credo. Fashion is the only for m of ar t we live
M assimiliano G iornetti . C reative director of F erragamo ’ s ready - to - wear collections . B orn in C arrara , F lorentine by heart , he attended the U niversity of F lorence and fashion designer courses at P olimoda I nstitute
our whole life with, constantly in motion and fast-changing! As a designer, I always focus on the man or woman who will be wear ing my creations. I dr aw up a profile , tr ying to deter mine preferences and passions, needs and lifestyles. Favor ite books and films, vacation destinations and color s. To me , luxur y is whatever improves the quality of someone’s life , whatever gives even one single moment of pleasure and total wellbeing. I believe that wor king in Florence is a luxur y itself. This city is a treasure box.. In addition to the many well-known attr actions mentio-
The Book
ned in all tr avel guides, there are some
The Catcher in the Rye , but I am now reading Le maître des âmes by Irène Nèmirovsky.
less-tour isty spots I per sonally adore: the Fer r agamo Museum and Stibber t Museum, Loretta Caponi’s boutique , the guardian of the ancient ar t of embroider y, and Studio Puck, a moder n wunder kammer where one can find hand-retouched pr ints with unusual subjects.
A stay in Florence will not be complete without...
Having dined at Fabio Picchi’s Cibreo
The places of hospitality
The Lungar no Collection hotels, which make guests feel member s of a family willing to comply with their wishes and meet their pr ior ities
The Secret
I am so interested in under standing what consumer s want that, at times, I disguise myself as a sales assistant at Florence’s Ferragamo boutique
M assimiliano G iornetti , creative director
S alvatore F erragamo M aison since 2010 of
27
S tephen J ones ( born 31 M ay 1957), is a leading B ritish milliner based in L ondon
28
Friends
collection
M i l l i n e r f rom the moon Stephen Jones
A Gallery Hotel Art fan. My dream was to be an astronaut. Instead, I applied at London’s Central Saint Mar tins School. As I had little sewing experience, my teacher suggested I take after school activities. I went to one of the best tailor s of the time: his
D reams
atelier was so elegant, ceremonious and…
and anecdotes of the world ’ s
most popular hat designer .
boring. Then I discovered the ar twor k room:
F lorence
there were four or five young ladies intent
met him in
at the exhibition - encounter with
the creativity of
on designing and creating in such a joyful
We
S alvatore F erragamo
and lively atmosphere that I fell in love with them at fir st sight. After one day only, I realized that that was my wor ld. That is how it all began. Besides, creating things by hand has always been a vital par t of who I am: I developed manual skills as a child by making small toys and boxes mounted on trees. I loved them. I have great faith in young people as they have their own vision, different from mine, and I like it. I’m constantly telling my young students to focus on friends and design with them in mind. That is how I star ted my career in fashion: my creations were meant for friends, not for celebrities. My muses? I adore Dita Von Teese and I admire Anna Piaggi’s energy. And Kate Middleton: she is fast becoming the style icon of many young gir ls who have been pur suing
Out
Wear ing a cocktail dress for a daytime event and vice ver sa
The Secret The Satisfaction
Being appointed Officer of the Order of the Br itish Empire . A tr uly touching moment
a sexier ideal so far. That’s it, someone should mint a coin with the Duchess on one side and Kate Moss on the other.
29
Don’t think too much, act. Insight and a sixth sense wor k better than your creative conscience
The Future
A film about my life . It will be released next year
Ph. Tommaso La Pera
G iorgio A lbertazzi ( born in F lorence on A ugust 20, 1923), is one of the greatest I talian theatre actors
30
Friends
c o ll e c t i o n
M y t h e a t re Giorgio Albertazzi
A Lungarno Suites Fan. My passpor t says: actor. Actually, I am also a director, screenwr iter, TV novel adapter and author. I was bor n in 1923 in San Mar tino a Mensola, near Fiesole , an Arcadian place .
At
Swift, D’Annunzio, Soffici, Swinbur ne ,
of
Woolf, Berenson stayed there
the age of
I talian
88,
the
“ great
anarchist ”
theatre tells about himself ,
reveals his plans for the future
too. I was bor n there because my
and shares his secret dreams
gr andfather was Berenson’s master mason and we lived in the Villa I Tatti’s annexe building. My father, bor n in Bologna, wor ked as a r ailway signaling oper ator at the Santa Mar ia Novella tr ain station. My mother came from the Casentino area. She lived in the countr yside till the age of eighteen. I made my debut on stage in 1949 and I have never stopped perfor ming since . Near ly a year ago, I opened what I call an “anti” acting school in Rome , and my days are now filled with appointments till…! I have always been a man of contr adictions, that’s tr ue , but I am also the most helpful man I know. Anybody, absolutely anybody, can take advantage of my time , whether
Women
A woman is an open window in a room that would be dar k without it
Theatre The Kiss
Kissing is one of the most intimate things in the wor ld. I gave my fir st kiss to a young gir l named Marcella
my wor king time or spare time , and even depr ive me of sleep.
31
One of my life dreams is to stage Fiorenza by Thomas Mann in Florence within 2012, on the occasion of the 520th anniver sar y of Lorenzo The Magnificent’s death. Unfor tunately, I am afraid it will never happen…
The Secret
I could reveal the secret of my longevity: eat ver y little and live off passions
i t i n e r a ry Florence Rome Maremma
hidden
ph. Lucia Baldini ph. Massimo Listri and
V iew of P onte S anta T rinita the A rno river
from the window
G iovanna G entile F erragamo ’ s office
of
34
Itinerar y
c o l l e c ti o n
The Florence I love Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo Florence is an open-air ar t galler y, imbued with histor y and culture , the quintessence of cr aftsmanship and tr adition, a hotbed of beauty. That is why my father Salvatore , who was bor n in a small town near Naples, after many year s spent in the United States, settled in Florence when he came back to Italy, having ver y clear ideas about his future and professional life . We six children were all bor n in Florence in our house , Villa Il Palagio, in the hills of I adore this “double” way of life . Dur ing
G iovanna G entile F erragamo vice - president of F erragamo ’ s
the day, I’m in downtown Florence , in a
holding company
Fiesole , where I still live with my family.
pr ivileged condition, I must say, as my office is on the fir st floor of Palazzo
of our house over looks Florence and
wor king directly on the wooden trees
Feroni, with two windows giving onto
my father, an astronomy enthusiast,
with mater ials. He had a basket filled
Via Tor nabuoni on one side and Ponte
would gather us children around him
with all sor ts of things- thread, r ibbons,
Santa Tr inita br idge on the other. From
on summer nights to obser ve the star s,
str ings, r affia, beads,-and I, while waiting
the fir st window I enjoy the view of the
holding us in his spell with stor ies about
for him to take me home , watched
Ar no r iver flowing towards the Cascine
life and the secrets of the heavens.
him for hour s, intent on modeling his
Park and breathtaking sunsets. The
Another indelible memor y I have is
creations, with nails in his mouth and a
other window over looks the oldest and
about his office , on the third floor
hammer in his hand. I was never bored.
austere par t of Florence . In the evening,
of Palazzo Feroni (1). A small room
A place in Florence I am ver y fond of
I r un back to the peace and green of my
over looking the Lungar ni where , in the
is the Bardini Museum, in Via de’Renai,
beloved Fiesole hills and to the war mth
evening, when all the employees had
in the Oltrarno area. It reopened after
of my family home .
left, he finally had time to wor k on his
many year s of restor ation and houses
If I were to represent this city through
creations. The fascinating thing about
a mix of over three thousand wor ks of
the sweetest memor ies of my father, I
him was that he did not design, like
ar t, including paintings, suits of ar mor,
would do soin a hear tbeat. The garden
most creative people do. He created by
musical instr uments, potter y, coins,
35
1
2
3
4
5
medals and antiques, all left by antique dealer Stefano Bardini to the City of Florence . The museum is sur rounded by a beautiful garden and has an excellent restaurant with a view. I see it as the perfect fusion of Florence’s ar tistic and natur al beauties offering a true taste of the city. As obvious as it may sound, the David by Michelangelo (3) is a wor k of
6
incompar able beauty and, if I were a tour ist spending a few hour s in Florence , choice of wrought iron objects.
restaur ant with panor amic view of
I would go str aight to the Accademia
I cannot fail to mention Florentine
Florence , I suggest Villa San Michele
Museum, if only to catch a glimpse of it.
cuisine , which is so good and I love so
in Fiesole . Some of my other favor ite
The best view of Florence (6) is offered
much that I wrote a family recipe book.
restaur ants are Cammillo in Borgo San
by the belvedere of the convent of St.
I enjoy dining at Olio e Convivium in
Jacopo and Cantinetta Antinori in Via
Francis in Fiesole, unknown to most,
Via Santo Spirito (4,5), a small typical
Tornabuoni, the perfect lunch spot,
as it is reachable only by walking up a
Tuscan restaur ant with a sophisticated
both located in the par t of Florence I
steep road, but the breathtaking view
twist. It has few tables and a welcoming
love , so authentic and noble , full of new
repays you for the effor t. Wor th a visit
atmosphere . The most picturesque
sur pr ises ever y day. The Fer r agamos feel
is also Fiesole’s Roman amphitheatre
Florentine restaur ant of all is, in my
so lucky and pr ivileged to belong to
and archaeological museum. There are
opinion, Tre Panche, in Via Pacinotti: it
Florence that we have been passionately
sever al lovely shops too, such as Mastro
has only three benches for dining in. The
engaged in the hospitality business
Ciliegia. It sells handmade tableware and
food is excellent and, it goes without
for ten year s to make the stay in our
the owner s are ver y fr iendly. Next door
saying, you have to book a table!
beautiful city as comfor table and special
is Il Fabbro di Fiesole, offer ing a wide
For those in search of an exclusive
as possible .
36
F erruccio , G iovanna and F iamma with their father S alvatore F erragamo in the garden of V illa il P alagio in F iesole ( ph . F erragamo A rchives )
37
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
38 7
Itinerar y
collection
U rb e n ov a
Tips, advice and the little secrets to contemporary Rome T ext L orenzo C otrozzi
Roma C aput Mundi, and not only because of its age-old histor y. In the past ten year s, the Eternal City has been enjoying a new ar tistic and architectural Renaissance . Contemporar y ar t galleries
D iscover R ome ’ s new artistic and architectural R enaissance by taking the route that runs beside the T iber river from north to south : R enzo P iano ’ s auditorium , the MAXXI and many other city landmarks and hidden hot spots
have multiplied and wor ld-famous stararchitects have under taken grand public projects. A one-day tour of the city, by following the Tiber river from nor th to south, cannot but star t from Renzo Piano’s Auditorium (2). The building consists
ultramodern exhibition center. As
centuries, Patrizi ar t studio was “home” to
of three big shell-shaped music rooms:
opposed to the typical overall stiffness
Picasso, Severini, Boccioni, Diaghilev and
large-scale musical instr uments inspired
of traditional museum str uctures, this
Cocteau.
by the body of a lute and a violin. In the
building features undulating volumes,
At a shor t distance - an eight-minute walk
middle , the open-air amphitheater faces
inter secting floor s and huge windows
towards the Lungotevere -, in Augusta,
the Olympic Village and is surrounded by
blurring the line between indoor s and
stands Rome’s most controver sial wor k
a big par k planted with trees.
outdoor s.
of contemporar y architecture: Richard
Less than a ten-minute walk away, by
By going through the Flaminio area and
Meier’s Ara Pacis Museum (7). Opened
taking Via Pietro De Couber t in the
beyond Piazza del Popolo, you will spot
in 2006, the building is a glistening steel,
direction of Lungotevere Flaminio, stands,
via Margutta, since always the throbbing
traver tine and glass case . Owing to the
perfectly symmetric to the auditorium,
hear t of Rome’s ar tistic scene . Here , at
heated debate aroused by the building,
its alter ego devoted to visual ar ts: the
street number 54, is Galleria Moncada,
the wall r unning along the roadway beside
MAXXI (National Museum of 21st-
one of the best-known Italian galleries in
the river will be demolished within 2012
centur y Arts) (6), former barracks
the photography field. In the same place ,
and replaced with a terraced garden.
conver ted by Zaha Hadid into an
between the nineteenth and twentieth
Another ten-minute walk southwards
39
T he
interior of
MAXXI,
the ultramodern exhibition area designed by
Z aha H adid
leads to via Perfetti 17, the street where
slaughterhouse and its experimental
you will find Magazzino d’arte moderna,
approach to ar t counterbalances
one of the city’s most frequented modern
perfectly the 20th-centur y collections
ar t galleries, r un by Mauro Nicoletti,
of the MACRO building by Odile Decq
renowned throughout Italy for his talent-
located in Via Reggio Emilia (Parioli area),
scouting of up-and-coming ar tists.
which, alongside the MAXXI and the
Another interesting area, located fur ther
19th-centur y Palazzo delle Esposizioni,
south along the river, is Trastevere , filled
represents the best of the city’s
with many new ar t spaces. For those in
contemporar y ar t exhibition spaces.
search of the latest developments in the
A second day is needed to visit the rest
contemporar y ar t field, we suggest a
of the city’s must-sees. Fir st of all, the
visit to the Brit-Roman Lorcan O’Neill’s
EUR area (1,9), with its Palazzo della
galler y (3) in via degli Or ti d’Aliber t.
Civiltà del Lavoro, Church of St. Peter
Wor th a stop, on the opposite bank,
and Paul, Sports Hall and Palazzo dei
are also the so-called Ghetto galleries:
Congressi, in addition to the famous
Valentina Bonomo, Ermanno Tedeschi
Nuvola, the near ly-completed new
Galler y, Edieuropa, Pio Monti Arte
Congress Center designed by architect
Contemporanea and Opera Unica. They
Massimiliano Fuksas. Not to be missed
are all devoted to cross-contamination
are also Paolo Portoghesi’s Mosque (8)
between ar t and other expressive
in the Parioli area, the Jubilee Church
languages, above all, fashion.
designed by Richard Meier and, last but
The tour can end with a visit to MACRO
not least, Pastificio Cerere, in the San
(Museum of Contemporar y Art,
Lorenzo neighborhood, a fascinating
Rome) (4,5), in its Testaccio premises.
archaeo-industrial monolith housing ar t
The museum is housed in a former
studios and an excellent diner.
40
Hidden Portrait Suites
The charm of a fashion atelier, of a fifties-style movie set, of Rome’s Dolce Vita: Portrait Suites, a stone’s throw from piazza di Spagna and via Condotti, is all this and more. A special atmosphere created by Michele Bonan, a sophisticated Florentine architect, for the hotel in Rome - part of the Lungarno Collection - inspired by the “portrait” and life of Salvatore Ferragamo. A crescendo of beauty that culminates in the breathtaking roof terrace. And all around, only the city and the stars.
41
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
42 7
Itinerar y
collection
M a r e m m a limited edition Count Gaddo della Gherardesca introduces us to the charm of his land T ext M ila M ontagni
Maremma is a land imbued with histor y, poised between the Etr uscan age and a future yet to be built. A land of soldier s and poets, farmer s and saints. The only land in
A
special guide to the hidden gems of
T he
M aremma .
story of a way of life , love of the land and deep understanding of its rhythms
central Italy that boasts itself with families of gentlemen who for the last twelve centuries lovingly have called it their home , even if not always the way they would have liked to. “I have been living and wor king in Milano since 1979, I spent par t of my youthful year s in Florence and my boarding school
extending from Gavorrano to the Ver silian
year s at the Morosini Institute in Venice -
Coast, and over Sardinia in the Middle Age
says Gaddo della Gherardesca, the eldest
year s before establishing a strong bond
son of Count Guelfo and Adriana Guillichini, with Florence in the 1400s. the member of a noble family from Arezzo
The memor y of their adventures travel
- but I feel and I know that I belong to
through family generations and live on
Maremma, like my ancestor s, the Dukes of
in the celebrated poems by Alighieri e
Friuli, who arrived here in the 8th centur y
Carducci. “Maremma is a way of life , a
to defend the Lombard lands from Saracen
univer se you can still enjoy a hor seback
attacks” . The Gherardesca family has a
ride along the paths and trails through
histor y that is closely inter twined with that
the woods of Castagneto Carducci and
of the Angiòs, the Medicis, the House of
Bolgheri (1, 5), listening to the doves
Hohenstaufen.
cooing in the morning, boar hunting and
They r uled over the lands of the
living according to nature’s rhythms - says
Aldobrandeschi and Malaspina families,
Count Gaddo in a clear and deep voice
43
T he G ulf
of
B aratti , P opulonia
On
-. You can hear the dogs bar king in the
breaking it up... and through dedication and
distance while going along the paths. Then
hard wor k we are now achieving successful
you go home to find food that carries
results”, says Count Gaddo who spends his
culture , age-old traditions, respect of the
free-time from wor k, as vice-president of
land and of the people who lived there”.
the Pr s agency in Milano, in the castle with
From the rampar ts of the Castle of
family and friends, pur suing the ancient
Castagneto (1), one of the family’s historic
family tradition of hospitality.
residences (3), “on clear days you can see
However, Maremma, especially the
the coastline of Cor sica and realize that
magnificent Northern Maremma, is not
you are living in a wor ld that assigns the
all about lands filled with for tresses and
right value to things and to the reality
castles, but also about the sea. “I have a
they are par t of, ever y day. The traditions
special relationship with the sea, I have
that Maremma brings back to your mind
to admit it - says the aristocrat - it goes
and hear t are the ones that allow for
back to my extraordinar y childhood
innovation and changes... untouched nature
and boyhood year s spent at Villa Emilia
(2) is heritage for all the generations to
(named after Donna Emilia Poschi Meuron
come and being able to go through it by
della Gherardesca, Ed.), the house built
foot or on a hor seback, without bumping
in 1929 by my grandfather by the sea, in
into a monstrous building, means handing
Donoratico, where we would be fishing and
M aremma down memories. Protecting the present is
living in total freedom. Today, I prefer going
previous pages , images of the
varied
landscape from the green countryside
guaranteeing the future for ever ybody”.
of B olgheri and The family home in Castagneto means, to C astagneto C arducci to the southern
M aremma
area
the Gherardescas, exactly this. “The choice
(2,6,7) my brother s and I made was aimed at
where the vegetation is wilder
safeguarding the family heritage and not
44
out to sea by motor-boat, to Baratti or Populonia (above), or to visit the wonderful islands of the Tuscan archipelago, unknown to most and each a precious gem of Maremma in its ver y own way”.
Hidden Marina di Scarlino
In the heart of Maremma in Tuscany, a fifteen-minute drive from Castiglione della Pescaia and a few miles from Elba Island, you will find a wonderful landing place. Overlooking the beautiful sea and the port is the Marina di Scarlino Yacht Club & Residence, a Lungarno Collection gem. A sailing and sea enthusiast paradise, nine pied-dans-l’eau apartments with an all year round atmosphere as enjoyable as a splendid day by the sea. Ideal for a Tuscan vacation, the resort is beautifully tucked in nature and sea. High-end services include the rental of a Gallegari rubber dinghy to discover hidden bays and beaches (4, 9); sailing ship cruises to the islands of Elba, Capraia, Giglio, Corsica and Argentario; the hiring of Swan 90 Solleone yachts, built by the Nautor’s Swan shipyard, to embark on exciting adventures in the Mediterranean.
45
art and style Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Francesca Colombo Giovanni Gentile Michele Bönan Lungarno Hotel’s Art Collection Mona Khun at Gallery Hotel Art A tribute to Made in Italy, the Continentale’s Photogallery Fashion Museums in Florence Lungarno Details Store
hidden
V ernissage in P alazzo S trozzi ’ s courtyard . O n right : L orenzo B ini S maghi
48
Art
collection
B r e a k r a nks! The modern face of art in Florence A museum with a contemporary management in a city boasting a strong museum tradition… Proves the city’s ability to adapt to the fastchanging global reality. But “contemporary” doesn’t necessarily
object, the work of ar t itself, but also about the
L orenzo B ini S maghi , born in 1956, economist , since 2006 at the head of F ondazione P alazzo S trozzi in F lorence , an innovative model
way you show it and introduce it to the public.
of governance of art and cultural
rhyme with “age-old”... Today contemporar y is not only about the
There’s a challenge to be met here.
events at
Yes, there is: actualizing in Florence what is commonly done in the most cutting-edge cities in the world. Combining the skills of the private sector and the knowledge of the public sector in a synergic way. And the result is..
there are so many things to see in Florence
Fruitful. It has impor tant repercussions for the
that once is not enough.
local territor y, it triggers a vir tuous cycle that
What would you show a friend coming to
benefits other Florentine businesses as well.
town?
In a time of general economic crisis in Euro-
Whatever lies beyond the beaten path: the
pe, how do you see Florence?
Pazzi Chapel, the Church of Santa Maria del
2011 has been a good year for our city, against Carmine and why not the city’s many beautiful the current trend. Florence has realized that,
main squares?
in order to be internationally competitive and
Florence 2012: the not-to-be-missed event of
able to exploit its ar tistic and cultural heritage
the year?
more efficiently, it has to focus on its visitors,
This is the year of the 500th anniversar y of
the ser vice users.
the death of Amerigo Vespucci. Palazzo Strozzi
Three good reasons to come to Florence?
has planned a grand exhibition, on view from
I would rather say: three good reasons to come March to July, devoted to American impressioback to Florence. What I’m tr ying to say is that
nists and their relationship with Florence.
49
P alazzo S trozzi
T wo pictures of F lorence ’ s new opera house , inaugurated in D ecember 2011. O n right : F rancesca C olombo
50
Art
collection
V i b r a n t music scene Code name: Challenge T ext T eresa F avi
A bold management vision that has infused the Maggio Musicale Theatre with amazing energy. The challenge she is faced with is to balance quality with rhythm, flexibility and new ways of management and communication, as required by the contemporar y world, and achieve the perfect blend of tradition and innovation.
F rancesca C olombo ,
a degree in management
engineering and a diploma in piano performance .
I n 2010, at the age of 37, she was appointed S uperintendent of the M aggio M usicale F iorentino T heatre
Do you think Florence is opening up to internationality and contemporaneity? That is the first feeling I had when the Mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, offered me the job. But we are doing our bit too, with our international festival and season. I believe that a total of for ty-seven tours worldwide last year speaks for itself. The most exciting moment since your
performance schedule?
arrival in Florence?
First of all, it’s a true Festival, offering
To be honest, there are three moments I
from the ver y beginning (it opens with
will always remember. My first concer t as
Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss conducted
superintendent, on May 21, 2010. When
by Maestro Zubin Mehta) top-quality
I met President Giorgio Napolitano,
events ever y day. Secondly, the eagerly-
who came to Florence to see Aida at
awaited comeback of Maestro Ozawa,
our theatre. And, in December 2011,
whose only Italian performance is held in
the inauguration of Florence’s new
Florence.
opera house, standing next to Stazione
The playlist you listen to while walking
Leopolda, which will soon be home to
through Florence?
the Maggio Musicale Theatre.
My iPod is never without Chopin’s
The 75th Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Études Op. 25, Johann Sebastian Bach,
Festival will take place May 4th to June
Ludwig van Beethoven, Tom Waits and
10th. Two good reasons to check out the Kur t Weill.
51
ph. Dario GArofalo
D uring F lorens 2010,
the temporary installation of
D avid by M ichelangelo in the church square of S anta M aria del F iore made possible something that L eonardo da V inci , S andro B otticelli and G iuliano da S angallo had only imagined . I n fact , in 1504, P iero S oderini , gonfaloniere of the R epublic of F lorence , decided to have the statue placed close to the town ’ s political headquarters , in P iazza della S ignoria , rather than in the C hurch of S anta M aria del F iore . O n right : G iovanni G entile a fiberglass and marble dust replica of the
52
Art
collection
Wor k s h o p, sublime Florence and its new cultural season T ext F rancesca L ombardi
How did the idea for the Fondazione Florens begin? The idea came to us about three years ago and grew out of our desire to use Florence as a place where impor tant ideas related to the economy of cultural assets and environment could be debated. It’s not a question of
G iovanni G entile :
president of the
recognizing our heritage, but is founded on the idea that we need to monitor the economic changes that these precious assets can produce.
F lorens
2010, F oundation , an
organization which was created in order to study the economy of our cultural assets and landscape
You speak about cultural and environmental assets: what does this category include? One ver y impor tant asset is our countr yside: our woods, hills, and small towns are no less valuable than our monuments. This leads to a problem of conser vation and transformation, since letting them decline would be an
publisher and , since
need to learn how to help people appreciate,
irreversible problem. By the same token, cultural understand and learn about our assets; it takes assets are not only museums, churches and
new methods and economic tools. In so doing,
masterpieces kept in our cities. We believe that
we not only increase tourism but increase the
ever ything that makes our culture unique is an
quality of the tourist experience.
asset. For example, food, wine and fashion fall
If we take a look at the big picture, even
into this categor y as well.
though these have been difficult years
What will be the topic of the 2012 meeting?
on a global scale, Florence has done well
From the Grand Tour to the Global Tour. The
for itself. Why do you think this is so?
Grand Tour was the name for the tour that
Florence stopped being a city of dusty old
elite Europeans used to take in our countr y;
archives and has become an example of how
they were people who spoke a language similar
the past can be reinterpreted; we have learned
to ours who came from nearby places. Today
how to speak the language of culture. I think
ever ything is different: our countr y hosts people
this is the secret of the success that we are
with ver y different languages and cultures. We
experiencing now.
53
F rom
the top ,
clockwise : hotel lungarno , gallery hotel art and the continentale in florence ; portrait suites in rome
54
Style
collection
A question of feeling
It all started with an amazing discovery. At the Hotel Lungarno T ext T eresa F avi
The sincerity and intellectual acuity of Michele Bönan are some of the aspects of his eclectic personality. He loves Florence, and calls it his city – despite his Mitteleuropean origins – because of its close link to the past and its desire to constantly confront its own histor y. In his studio on the Lungarno Guicciardini, and in his work, Bönan always manages to create his unmistakeable imprint, which is dictated by his style. He leads a busy life, and has projects all over the world:
michael bönan , architect of the lungarno
in Miami, London, Saint Tropez and Paris.
collection , loosens up and tells stories
His residences, as well as his hotels, are
and secrets that have never been told before
now considered leading examples to other architects, including the Heidelberg Suites in Heidelberg, Germany, and the sophisticated
Ferragamo...
15 years ago, the director of the hotel called
JK Place in Capri. Not ever yone knows,
We were actually friends before we
me in and begged me to not change it too
however, that the first hotel he designed, and
worked on the project so working with
much: he was thinking of his regular clients
which was his claim to fame, was the Hotel
him confirmed our friendship and led to a
– the hotel had an extremely well-respected
Lungarno in Florence. It launched his future
mutual sense of trust.
background – and they had asked him to
and is also a wonderful stor y of collaboration Is it true that you were the one who discovered the art collection at the Hotel with his good friend, Leonardo Ferragamo.
ask me not to change it too much. And they were right. because the hotel on the Arno
It’s well known that if you don’t like the
Lungarno?
had a soul and I didn’t want to erase it. One
person who’s hiring you to do the work,
I didn’t discover it, but I realized its true
of the strategies I used was to celebrate its
you won’t accept the job…
value. But there’s a stor y behind that, it’s
ar t collection: Picasso, Cocteau, Rosai. There
It’s not because I consider myself
not only an amazing ar t collection.
were paintings by the masters of the 20th
superior, it’s a question of being a
Please tell us...
centur y and wor thy of a museum. I didn’t
professional: you need to love the script
When Leonardo asked me to assist in
touch anything, not even the oldest frame.
if you want to act in the movie.
the remodelling of three hotels that the
I wanted ever ything to remain just the way
This didn’t happen with Leonardo
Ferragamo group had bought in Florence,
it was. But I did do a lot of cataloguing and
55
a detail of the foyer in the hotel lungarno . on the next page : the splendid view of the arno from the hotel lungarno ; one of the dining rooms in the borgo san jacopo restaurant
56
1
2
3
4
5
6
moved things around by ar tist and style, as you would do in a galler y. It’s true that it needs to be renovated now, but even so, if someone asked me where I wanted to live forever in Florence I would say at the Hotel Lungarno because of its incredible location and unique charm. Did art become a recurrent theme for you from that time onwards in your relationship with Ferragamo and the Lungarno Group? Not right away, I would say. After some time, into different spaces depending on the
What Signature has Michele Bönan left on
I was asked to renovate the Augustus, which
ar t show. This led to a collaboration with
the hotels of the Lungarno Collection?
was ver y difficult because it called for a
the ar t exper t Isabella Brancolini and we
White, especially for bedrooms. Never hide
rigorously classical reinterpretation.
decided and we decided to focus only on
the dir t, I always say. On the contrar y, the
And is that what actually took place?
international photographic ar t. Then came
host should always show total cleanliness
I presented my plan, ever ything was done in
the Continental, the Borgo San Jacopo
and candor to his guests.
a ver y classic mode, ever ybody loved it, and
restaurant, the Por trait Suites in Rome, and
What is the secret of a good hotel?
Signora Wanda Ferragamo was par ticularly
then the interiors of some of the Swan
Impeccable ser vice. The client has to feel
pleased. But after a sleepless night, I called
yachts, such as the Solleone.
like he or she is the first person to have
Leonardo and said that we had to star t
How would you describe your philosophy?
ever stayed in the room.
from scratch. That’s how the Galler y Hotel
I never, not even for a second, ignore the
What is the biggest compliment that you
Ar t, which is known as the first Italian
great heritage of the Ferragamos. Once
have ever received on your work?
design hotel, was born. I conceived it as
Signora Wanda said to me, “You ought to
Something a friend said a few days ago:
a space that was open to the outdoors
have met my husband. You have no idea how “Michele, you have reached a point where
and which could change like a chameleon
well you two would have gotten along.”
57
you are totally unaware of your awareness”.
1
2
358
4
Art
coll e ctio n
M u s e u m of emotions
A precious twentieth-century collection, unknown to the general public T ext M artina B ecattini
T he H otel L ungarno
Much too often we tend to relegate culture to specific places, the ones our society has assigned to them, museums for instance , unaware
houses a magnificent
collection of twentieth - century artwork by
F lorentine
painters of the past century inspired by
of the fact that, to those who are
R enaissance
art and in the manner
of
lucky enough to live in Italy and,
C ézanne
and
P icasso
in par ticular, in Florence , ar t can appear in the most unexpected places, displaying before their eyes gems of unlooked-for value . Such is the case of the twentiethcentur y ar t collection of the Hotel Lungar no. A plunge into the r ich
Pablo Picasso dedicated to a fr iend.
of Cézanne , while at the same time
and little known ar t wor ld of the
Close by are sever al wor ks by a
dr awing inspir ation from Masaccio
past centur y, which has greatly
contempor ar y of Picasso, who drew
and fifteenth-centur y Florentine
influenced the contempor ar y ar t
inspir ation from the Spanish ar tist’s
painter s.
movement, though often neglected
Cubist phase and then moved on to
Actually, the style of Cézanne
compared to the wonder s of
a completely different style: Ottone
and Picasso and Italian fifteenth-
Renaissance ar t.
Rosai (3). These wor ks belong to
centur y painting depict the two
A collection of Italian master s,
the ar tist’s matur ity, to his Tuscan
extremes how the ar tists shown
mostly Tuscan, which includes two
populist per iod, when he devoted
in this collection approached
inter national ar tists who have
his attention to humility and to
ar t. Our twentieth -centur y ar t
greatly influenced the histor y of
the representation of ever yday life
tr adition is an ongoing reflection
ar t: the hotel’s lounge welcomes us
scenes.
on the Renaissance per iod, viewed
with two sketches by Jean Cocteau
They are refer able to the so-
as a weighty past that cannot be
(2), a few dream-like strokes
called “retur n to order” per iod of
ignored.
most probably meant for a theatre
Italian ar t, mar ked by the revival of
The show continues on the upper
production, and a lovely por tr ait by
realistic painting and in the manner
floor s and along the cor r idor s
59
O ne
of the works of the
L ungarno H otel
On
next page :
the autograph drawing by
P icasso L ungarno ’ s
M ino M accari ‘P onte
sul
H otel
lounge
V olga ’
leading to the rooms.
Renaissance ar tists and by Piero
Appear ing before our eyes are the
della Fr ancesca.
dar k and gloomy tones of Mar io
On the walls close by, the intimate
Sironi, ideally opposed to the pure ,
and poetic dr awings by an ar tist
untouched happiness, playful sense
best known for his sculptures,
of life and solidity of color in the
Ar turo Mar tini.
wor ks by Luciano Schifano (4).
Gastone Breddo’s neo-Cubist style ,
Alongside the biting gr aphic wor k
and the Cézanne manner applied
by Mino Maccari and reflection
in the creations of Ottone Rosai’s
of the combination of Fauvism
favour ite pupil, Dino Caponi.
and Cubism in the paintings by
The hotel’s elegant stair s lead to
Bruno Cassinari, are the wor ks of
the childish and fr iendly faces by
Fer nando Far ulli, an ar tist who fir st
Antonio Bueno (1), resulting from
bor rowed from the post-Cubist
the ar tist’s insatiable attention to
style and was then attr acted to
details, which mar ks the revival of
neo-realist subjects, in par ticular,
techniques used by great painter s
wor ker s.
of the past. Oddly enough, the
These paintings date back to the
neatness and accur acy he poured
seventies and show female figures
into painting were completely
against colored backgrounds, big
foreign to his nature and clashed
black silhouettes dominating the
with his disorder ly lifestyle .
scene in an uncer tain, alienated,
And if you are lucky enough to see
dream-like and symbolic dimension.
one of the elegant fifth-floor rooms,
Then there’s the young Marino
you will be treated to the view of
P ablo Marini, just back from Par is where
on view
in the
art collection :
the intimate female pencil por tr aits
he lear ned all about the latest
of Enzo Far aoni, another pupil of
ar t trends, influenced by ear ly
Rosai’s.
60
Picteau Lounge Overlooking the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio, this inviting sitting room of the Hotel Lungarno opens its doors to chocolate, champagne and contemporary art lovers. Picteau Lounge is the combination of the names of two great artists of the past century, Picasso and Cocteau, whose works are displayed here. Unforgettable afternoons spent tasting chocolate, excellently paired with a selection of champagne, rum or draft beer. Ideal for leisure or business meetings, with the added value of a unique view of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio.
61
62
Art
collection
N a t i ve
Mona Kuhn, the latest exhibition at Gallery Hotel Art T ext I sabella B rancolini
T he
For over a decade now, the collaboration between BrancoliniGrimaldi and the
exhibition space of the
G allery H otel A rt
is a window into the contemporary world
Galler y Hotel Ar t has brought some of
as seen through the lens
the finest and cutting-edge contemporar y
of leading
ar tists to the Florentine and International
I nternational
audience . The programme developed for the hotel’s exhibition Space has been specifically conceived to approach and propose new ar tistic trends, visions and themes. This Januar y 2012 the Galler y Hotel
implied for Mona. Her visual journey
Ar t proudly presents the exhibition
fuses together photographs of nature
Native by Mona Kuhn. For this series, the
and people in a highly per sonal por trait
photographer returned to her homeland
of a place seen through the ar tist’s eyes
of Brazil, eager to under stand her
and imagination. The perception of her
relationship with the place where she had
per sonal connection to this countr y is
spent the fir st twenty year s of her life . “It
surprisingly strong and vivid and yet each
is not meant to be about Sao Paolo. It is
single photograph conveys it subtly and
about a mood, it is about Brazil, about a
skilfully.
bird returning to a nest in the forest”, she
Native is Kuhn’s interpretation of her own
confessed with her typical joyful ver ve .
feelings about her homeland from the
It was decided to show this specific body
point of view of an adult. She stressed,
of wor k by Mona Kuhn for the remar kable
though, that she didn’t want it to be
consistency in her imager y and the
an autobiographical narrative but an
emotional commitment that the project
inspirational tale . She rejected the idea
63
photographers
H ere
and on the previews pages are some of the photographs by mona kuhn now on show at the gallery hotel art until march
was
of focusing on the cliché of Brazil as the
stands as a metaphor for spirituality and
countr y of the Carnival, the Bossa nova,
instinct, adventure and fear.
extreme pover ty, criminality, sunshine and
The subjects of Kuhn’s photographs are
long, white beaches. Her interest was in
not stereotypes, but her Brazilian peer s.
the intimate experience and emotions
They are real, contemporar y people ,
of living in this special land. She wanted
par t of her generation. As usual she
to wor k with the colour s that she felt
photographed nude young men and
were tr uly representative of Brazil in
women, though she is not interested
her mind and in her memories: all the
in them because of their nakedness.
shades of green, yellow and pink. Green
Rather she focused on the body as a
is the forest, the jungle , the militarism
residence of who we are . It is a nudity
that characterized Brazil’s histor y for a
that is far and distant from wanting to be
long time; yellow and pink reference the
intentionally sexy and sensual. They are
ear ly European Baroque influence and the
caught in a pensive and quiet state that
iconic golden brightness of Brazil’s natural
the photogr apher achieved by patiently
lighting.
wor king with them to establish a genuine
The location of choice was an apar tment
relationship of tr ust. She avoided using
in the ver y centre of downtown Sao
a tr ipod - or any other ar tificial props
Paolo, in one of the oldest areas of the
- and did not use assistants so that her
city, abandoned for more than twenty-
models felt comfor table and natur ally
five year s. There she found the vibe that
at ease with her. Mona Kuhn’s wor k is
she was looking for to communicate the
engaging for its multifaceted per sonality
M ona K uhn born in S ão P aulo , peculiar abstract feeling of a place of B razil , in 1969,
she is known for her serene nude portraits
15 th , 2012
that is her signature visual style and
“fantasy”. One of the main character s is
because it is an expression of an intuitive
the jungle itself, with its sultr y beauty that
way of creating.
64
Art
ph. Lorenzo Cotrozzi
collection
Hidden Marilyn
How is the myth of Marilyn Monroe doing? Never been better. Michelle Williams takes on the role of the actress in the film My Week with Marilyn by Simon Curtis. In June 2012, the Gallery Hotel Art will devote a show of photographs to her. Contemporaneously at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, there will be an exhibit of her belongings, featuring 14 pairs of shoes that actually belonged to the actress, together with costumes from her most famous roles, as well as works of art that tell the myth of this tormented and inaccessible beauty.
65
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A n I rene G alitzine ’ s
model
Po r t r a i t of a Lady
A photographic tribute to Italian Style at the art gallery of the Hotel Continentale P h A rchivio G iorgini
It’s
a case of perfect timing for the show dedicated to fashion
60
in
I taly :
years ago the first high fashion show
took place in the 66
M ade
S ala B ianca
in
F lorence
A lberto F abiani , M aison G lans , I ole V eneziani , M aison C arosa
The great designer s - from Schuber th to Galiztine , from Capucci to Valentino – showed their wor k on the r unways in the Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti. Michele
In
the
‘50 s F lorence was the capital of I talian fashion T he photos reveal splendid models , elegance on the streets , and the always - fashionable masterpieces of the R enaissance
Bönan, the refined Florentine architect, pays homage to this unique per iod of histor y with his choice of best black and white photogr aphs from the per iod, now in each room and suite of this of Italian fashion is related to the
to its great tr adition of ar tisans,
memor able show on July 22, 1952
splendid boutiques grew, such as
HISTORY. The fir st fashion show
at the Sala Bianca at Palazzo Pitti.
Emilio Pucci, Simonetta Visconti and
of Italian designer s came about
This show mar ked the beginning of
the atelier of Salvatore Fer r agamo
thanks to the Marquise Giovanni
an er a and the affir mation of Made
(who had already won the Oscar
Battista Gior gini, who or ganized
In Italy style . In fact, the r unways in
of fashion in 1947 from Neiman
a show in his Florentine Villa, Villa
the Sala Bianca stayed up until 1982! Marcus together with Chr istian
Tor r igiani on Via dei Ser r agli on
The ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s were the
Dior). This year Florence celebr ates
Febr uar y 2, 1951, calling it the
glor y year s for Italian high fashion
sixty year s since the fir st fashion
‘Fir st Italian High Fashion Show’.
and Florence was at the hear t of it.
show in the Sala Bianca.
Numerous inter national buyer s
Not only were there Roman tailor s
Today, more than ever, this
discovered Italian elegance and
like Emilio Schuber to, Rober to
represents a chance to discover
its pr ices, which were far more
Capucci, the Fontana Sister s and
the luxur y of handmade ar tisanal
competitive than Par is fashion. But
Valentino, to name a few, but
products and the pleasure of a style
the real anniver sar y for the bir th
Florence itself benefitted. Thanks
that is par t of the city’s DNA.
luxur ious hotel in Florence .
67
ph. Lorenzo Cotrozzi
1
4
68
7 2 3
5 6
8
9
Style
collection
R o o m s o f Beauty
Fashion museums in Florence. Where history meets costume T ext F rancesca L ombardi
Florence and fashion formed a tight unit
the heart of the business side of italian fashion is in milan , yet the chosen location
many year s ago. And today, even if the hear t of the business side of fashion is in
for the conservation of its history is florence
Milan, the chosen location for the conser vation of its histor y is still the Tuscan capital. Four museums devoted to this rich histor y, and real treasure troves of material, have captured the wor ld’s attention and are all situated in the centre of Florence: the Ferragamo Museum, the Gucci Museum (2, 4) the Capucci
sar y of Gucci in 2011 culminated in the
Foundation, and the Galleria del Costume . opening of a museum dedicated to this The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum (5,7,8,
maison, which is housed inside Palazzo
10) opened in 1995 in the historic Palaz-
della Mercanzia, in Piazza della Signoria. In
zo Spini Feroni thanks to the initiative of
addition to the permanent show of Gucci
the Ferragamo family – especially Wan-
archives, it’s also wor th visiting the series
da, Salvatore’s wife , and their daughter
of contemporar y ar t installations selected
Fiamma – who wanted to show the larger
by the Pinault Foundation.
public the depth of ar tistic talent of the
The Capucci Foundation (1, 9) is located
founder and the role that the company
in Villa Bardini between For te Belvedere
has had through histor y, not only in terms
and Palazzo Pitti. The Galleria del Costu-
of shoes, but in international fashion. This
me (3, 6) at Palazzo Pitti, with close to
museum is a key reference point for the
six thousand pieces, is the only museum
histor y of fashion at an international level. dedicated to the histor y of fashion in The celebrations of the 90th anniver-
Italy.
69
10
1
70
Style
collection
B i e n v i v r e à por ter
Lungarno Details store. Shop the Lungarno Collection style
At the entr ance of the Lungar no
details that tell the love story
Suites, on Lungar no Acciaiuoli, is a with its impeccably cur ated choice of fur niture and fur nishing objects. Here ,
F lorence , F erragamo
of artisan tradition in
sophisticated store seducing customer s
from to the style of the
S alvatore L ungarno collection
the classic décor blends, in perfect Lungar no Collection style , with the most refined contempor ar y look. The store has fast become a favor ite for the Lungar no wor ld fans and also a coveted showroom and shopping
r ange of vintage and colonial
destination for top Florentine architects
fur niture . From chic table and kitchen
and inter ior designer s. “Lungar no
accessor ies, for both living and
Details is an unusual downtown
wor king environments and for all
Florence space offer ing a wide choice
enter tainment pur poses, to one-of-
of inter ior accessor ies-explains
a-kind pieces such as blown glass
Mar ta Santoni, a well-known Italian
hour glasses, animal-shaped bookends,
architect and inter ior designer - in
colored dr inking glasses. And, of
a fresh and contempor ar y manner,
cour se , ar t is found in many for ms,
precious details that suppor t my
like Volker Kühn’s ironic wor ks or the
inter ior design projects (1)”. From
beautiful vintage fashion photogr aphs
the creations by Michele Bönan,
dating back to Florence’s golden
the architect and inter ior designer
year s of style , in the fifties and
of all the hotels of the Lungar no
sixties, when the Medici family’s city
Collection Group, to the extensive
was the wor ld capital of fashion.
71
1
solleone , the swan
90
belonging to leonardo ferragamo
72
Style
collection
Ex cl u s i ve perceptions
Swan and Lungarno Collection: a liaison that goes beyond the concept of luxury T ext T eresa F avi
There’s the concept of luxur y that
the most beautiful sailboat journeys in the world
ever yone , at least from a distance ,
on a swan embellished with custom built services ,
knows: it’s made up of designer clothes, expensive perfumes, car s and watches
as told by ettore mattiello , swan ’ s racing office manager
from “A Thousand and One Nights”. Take that concept and multiply it (by three , at least) and apply it to the idea of a vacation on board a Swan, the Fer r ar i of yachts. The Mediter r anean, the Balear ics, the Car ibbean - and a crew ready to sail anywhere , at any time of year. Swan yachts were bor n
goes beyond luxur y”, and together they
in 1966 in a Finnish harbour, in the
now offer the most beautiful sailboat
age-old land of sailor s, 500 kilometres
jour neys in the wor ld.
nor th of Helsinki. The boat building
We met Ettore Mattiello of Nautor in
company who created them, Nautor, has his office , high up in an old tower in been in Italian hands now for thir teen
the hear t of Florence , to discuss his
year s. A key figure in the fashion wor ld
amazing wor k and let our selves be
and a passionate yachtsman, Leonardo
caressed by the breeze of exclusivity.
Fer r agamo bought the company and
“Our guests have the choice of our best
has re-launched it as one of the wor ld’s
yachts. We hope to soon have a fleet
lar gest super yacht companies.
of seven yachts, each one with a crew
Two jewels of the Fer r agamo family,
made up of four professionals: a captain,
Nautor’s Swan and Lungar no Collection, a chef and two stewards.” He explains have come together tr ansver sally to
this to us as the light of the setting sun
create the ideal notion of “luxur y that
illuminates the models of the boats
73
V irago , S wan 100
hanging on his walls. “Each yacht has
with for midable exper ience and there’s
its own crew - loyalty and teamwor k
the quality of the ser vices of the
are vital for the quality of ser vice we
Lungar no club tr ansfer red on board
provide ,” Mattiello continues. The
of a yacht. There’s the chef who pays
yachts are cr uiser-r acer s that go from
homage to the jewels of the sea and
28-33 meter s, with elegant lines,
there’s the joy of a jour ney sur rounded
gor geous to look at, with three double
by beauty and total pr ivacy. And there
cabins, in addition to two crew cabins
are the advantages of having a club
with bunk beds.
to back you up: the ease of dropping
Are these thoroughbreds of the sea
anchor in a harbour, which can be
fulfilling the desire for comfort and
pr actically impossible at a minute’s
luxur y of their owners?
notice . The best thing is that you have
They are at the avant-garde not only
the best ser vice imaginable and yet it is
technologically but also at the level
totally invisible .
of design. The inter ior s are all custom
What’s the secret of an unforgettable
made . Solleone , for example , the
cruise?
Swan 90 that belongs to Leonardo
Real emotions, tr ue luxur y, memor ies of
Fer r agamo, was designed by architect
pure light, and the sound of silence .
T he cruise - racer fleet : S wan heritage Michele Bönan: it has elegant spaces, combined with
L ungarno C ollection service T he 90- feet S olleone S wan T he 100- feet V irago S wan T he 112- feet H ighland B reeze S wan
How long does a typical cr uise last?
no excessive details, and is perfect for
One or two weeks, but it could also be
an intelligent life at sea. Ever yone loves
for a day or a long weekend depending
the inter ior s of that boat.
on the availability of the yachts.
Tell us about the extras that make all
The price?
the difference.
The pr ice star ts at 40,000 Euros a
There’s the professionalism of a crew
week.
74
75
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
T he
frescoed hall and facade ( to the right ) overlooking
S anta T rinita B ridge
of
P alazzo C apponi -V ettori
‘ P r iv a t e ’ matter s
Palazzo Capponi and Palazzo Corsini. Discovering secrets and little-known stories
P alazzo C apponi -V ettori stands in loveliest part of the L ungarni area
the and
there is a love story behind its origin .
C lose
by is
P alazzo C orsini ,
which is
home to the most important private art collection in 76
F lorence
P alazzo C apponi ’ s windows on P onte S anta T rinita
77
L odovico C apponi
in a portrait by
A gnolo B ronzino ,
Palazzo Capponi Built in the four teenth-centur y, the palazzo was bought, in the 1500s, by the young Lodovico Capponi who chose it for its strategic position, close to Palazzo Pitti, midway between Via Maggio and Santa Trinita bridge, owing to a
two details of
P alazzo C orsini ,
A t P alazzo C orsini
portrait of
M aria M addalena M achiavelli
P alazzo C apponi -V ettori , the charm of ancientness meets with state - of - the art technology under the sign of the L ungarno C ollection , a prestigious partner in the meeting and incentive planning field in T uscany and
troubled love affair that had a happy ending. In love with Maddalena Vettori, Lodovico proposed to her, but her stepfather, Piero Salviati, greatly opposed the marriage and Maddalena was put into a convent. She was later taken out of the convent only to become lady-in-waiting
as hail in spring, and wine flowed like water.
Florence features masterpieces of seventeenth
to Eleanor of Toledo at Palazzo Pitti. Capponi,
Palazzo Corsini
and eighteenth-centur y Italian and European
still in love with the young lady, who was
Palazzo Corsini is a beautiful and rare example
painting as well as interesting Renaissance works
never allowed to leave the palace without
of Baroque style in Renaissance Florence and
of ar t. Among the paintings displayed are works
being accompanied, could see her pass over
one of the greatest moments in the histor y
by Filippo Lippi, Giovanni Bellini, Luca Signorelli
the bridge with the gran-ducal cour t from the
of Florentine painting. The building, which was
(Madonna and Child with Saints Girolamo and
windows of his house. The stolen glances they
at first called Casino (as it was a small house
Bernardo), Pontormo, Salvator Rosa and Luca
exchanged, as repor ted by old chroniclers,
surrounded by a big garden extending as far as
Giordano. The collection was star ted in 1765
aroused the curiosity of the crowd, which
the Arno river bank where the Lungarno Corsini by Don Lorenzo Corsini, nephew to Pope
always gathered to watch them. In the end, the
now stands), was bought in 1649 by Maria
Clemente XII, in 1765. Although still par tly
Grand Duchess interceded with Salviati for
Maddalena Machiavelli (wife to Marchese Filippo
used by the Princes Corsini, the palazzo ser ves
the two sweethear ts and they were able to get
Corsini) from the Grand Duke Ferdinando II de’
primarily as an exhibition and event venue
married. The wedding was celebrated in Piazza
Medici. Ver y few know that the building houses,
(the Antiques Biennale fair used to be held at
Santa Trinita where, according to the chronicles
on the first floor, the so-called Corsini Galler y.
Palazzo Corsini) and is open to visitors upon
of the day, comfits fell thick
This most impor tant private ar t collection in
reser vation.
78
Meetings and Events
Let us create memorable and joyful special moments. With enthusiasm, thrill and high spirits, the Lungarno Collection orchestrates the most extravagant events in its restaurants, sky lounges, meeting rooms or suites with spectacular terraces. Choose amongst the Hotel Lungarno’s Guarnieri Room or Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant, the Gallery Hotel Art’s Fusion Bar & Restaurant, the Continentale’s spectacular Sky Lounge Roof Top, or the magnificent and romantic countryside house Villa Le Rose. Charming settings with a direct view of the river Arno and surrounded by Renaissance masterpieces. A choice of elegance and style to celebrate a wedding, a birthday, a graduation or any other special occasion in one of Florence’s most alluring locations.
80
food Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant The ‘Buche’ in Florence Fusion Bar at Gallery Hotel Art
hidden 81
Food
collection
D o o r s o f eden
The secrets of Beatrice Segoni, elegant chef of the Borgo San Jacopo restaurant T ext T eresa F avi
82
a few of the offerings from the menu that chef beatrice segoni changes every two months
T he 2012
guides rave about the restaurant : 1 hat from the l ’ espresso guide (15.5/20); 2 forks from G ambero R osso (81/100); 5 star diamond award from the american academy of hospitality sciences
Sur rounded by the Florentine
their ar r ival in this city of ar t and good
Still, after many year s on the menu,
Renaissance and with the Ar no River
taste be baptised by the gentle flavour s
Beatr ice has decided to take it off. We
only a few steps away, this elegant
of Beatr ice’s fish broth. Thanks to her
therefore suggest that when making a
boutique of a restaur ant, in which
refined cooking and aesthetics, this
reser vation, you ask the chef to make
the ancient beams and thick stone
restaur ant has been tr ansfor med into a
an exception and to prepare it for you.
walls blend perfectly with the moder n
culinar y Eden.
We sit together in the foyer of the
lighting and stunning picture windows,
After ear ning r ave reviews in the
Hotel Lungar no, the mir ror of the
allows diner s to enjoy views of the
inter national guidebooks, with Japan at
water s of the r iver Ar no caressing the
r iver and the city lights in all its poetic
the lead, even the Italian guidebooks
lar ge windows, making it feel as though
glor y. Fir st-time guests of one of
have star ted to sit up and take notice
we’re on a yacht.
the nine tables of Bor go San Jacopo
of this little jewel that began as a
Is it difficult to be a chef from the
ought to be char ged quadr uple if they
satellite restaur ant for the Hotel
Marche in a city that is so closely tied
leave without tasting the brodetto
Lungar no. With her shar p eyes the
to its traditions?
and fr ittur a di pesce , the only dishes
colour of dar k chocolate and her
It was the thing that fr ightened me
that are constants on the menu since
generous ways, the chef admits her love most when I fir st got here . But I
Beatr ice Segoni took over the kitchen
for the ar tichoke r isotto, declar ing its
resolved it beautifully by offer ing a
five year s ago.
elegance . Yet, her favor ite creations are
cuisine that was “Italian.” I include
Segoni comes from the Marche and
the desser ts. This is why, when you dine recipes from Piemonte as easily as I
the tr aditions of that region have
at Bor go San Jacopo for the fir st time ,
include Sicilian dishes, but at the hear t
influenced her cooking. She has spent
fr iends of the restaur ant will suggest
of the menu is local cuisine . However,
ten year s wor king in kitchens all over
that you leave a little room for desser t.
the fish broth and the fr ied fish are
Italy, including three year s wor king
As a matter of fact, her tir amisu has
two dishes that come from my Marche
alongside chef Gianfr anco Vizzani.
ear ned her a cult following for its
roots and they are my lucky char ms.
Hundreds of Japanese tour ists tr avel
lightness and the way it’s made with
What is the secret to your cooking?
each year to Florence in order to have
patabon (a kind of cooked zabaglione).
Pr ime ingredients are my obsession.
83
the charming interiors of the restaurant and one of the large windows looking out on the arno
84
They are my obsession. You cannot have excellent food without excellent products. It has taken me four year s to find exactly what I was looking for. Can you share a secret with us? I actually was tr ained to be a designer and wor ked with Genny, the fashion house . I star ted designing and producing my own line of clothing for women. How would you describe your style? Elegant, but with no froufrou. Like my dishes. Then came the career change ... I became a chef many year s later and I don’t have any regrets. Even if the
A
vertiginous list of 500 prestigious wines selected by salvatore biscotti , a sommelier with extraordinary experience
creativity of designing is beautiful, fashion is something I still car r y with me and tr ansmit to my dishes. You can see it in the way that I focus on presentation and my attention to colour. What’s your first culinar y memor y? My father, who was a mechanic , used to spend his Sundays in the kitchen prepar ing sophisticated fish dishes with an almost maniacal precision.
85
ph. Dario Garofalo
P reparing T- bone
steak in
B uca L api ’ s
kitchen
T h e ‘ bu c he’ in Florence
Go down a few stairs and enter a ‘buca’, typical restaurants located in wine cellars T ext B eatrice S egoni
‘ the
cooking here is rigorously tuscan ,
and there ’ s a secret too : we pay special attention to our primary ingredients ’ so says the chef 86
from the top , clockwise :
S averio
e
S andro
della buca dell ’ orafo , buca lapi , buca dell ’ orafo , the private dining room at buca mario
For several evenings recently, I had the
I discovered that all three have something
and delicious charcuterie, then if paglia
pleasure of hanging up my chef ’s apron and
in common - the careful attention to the
e fieno alla boscaiola is on the menu, be
dress as a normal diner to finally tr y out
primar y ingredients. At Buca Lapi - owned
sure to order it. Follow with a Florentine
the so-called “buche.” For someone like me
by the Antinori vineyard - the wonderful
steak or a roast por k with potatoes. (via de’
who loves cooking so much to have made it
scents and flavour s of traditional family
Girolami 28/r, tel. +39.055.213619, closed
a career, it was about time. The result was a
recipes can be experienced in the handmade
Sundays). Buca Mario is located in the
tour of restaurants, some of which go back
potato tor telli dressed simply with butter
cellar s of Palazzo Niccolini. It is especially
year s and year s, being car ved out of old wine and sage, in the sumptuous Florentine steak
unique for its private dining room and
cellar s in the historic buildings in the centre
and in all the fried foods. Wild salads are
own entrance around the back. As for the
of town and much loved by Florentines, even
gathered each morning by a farmer who is
food, I had a good ar tichoke soufflé and
before there were tourists. Since I don’t have
close friends with the chef. (Via del Trebbio,
an excellent grilled steak with a wonderful
room to talk about all of them, I’ve chosen
1/r tel. +39.055.213768, closed Sundays).
vintage Chianti, concluding with cantuccini
three of what I consider to be the best:
Buca dell’Orafo is a small cellar with no
and Vin Santo (piazza degli Ottaviani, 16/r,
Buca Lapi, Buca dell’Orafo, and Buca Mario.
more than a dozen tables. It’s wor th star ting
tel. +39.055.214179, closed Wednesday and
The cuisine here is rigorously Tuscan and
off with a Tuscan antipasto dish of crostini
Thur sday lunch).
87
Drink
collection
S u r p r i s e me!
Not just cocktails: Kareem’s creative experiments at the Fusion Bar T ext A lessandra L ucarelli
88
C ocktails
and appetizers served during happy hour at the
F usion B ar , K areem
as
DJ
at the console during the evening
the cocktail hour at the fusion bar is currently considered one of the coolest places to go in florence
Italian-American of origin, Kareem
drinks varied and dynamic so that we
experiment. But even Italians are aware
Bennett is the man who has been in
can please our regular clients. One of
of the amazing drinks we create at the
charge of the Fusion Bar since 2005. His
the most requested drinks is La Vie en
Fusion Bar and they tr ust me willingly.
cocktails are per sonal interpretations and
Rose , which is a re-visitation of the
And you, what do you drink when you’re
reinventions of the classics using only
classic Spritz but with essence of roses
not working?
the best labels with seasonal ingredients
and berries, and there’s also the Green
I love Mar tini cocktails. And beer.
in a continually playful game of flavor s.
Hornet, which is a vodka sour with celer y
What’s your secret?
The inspiration for his wor k comes not
and ginger.
Music is my number-two passion. So,
only from the most glamorous bar s of
You share the bar with Alessandro Avilla.
lately I’ve been having fun dividing myself
the wor ld where he has wor ked, from
What are the main differences between
between the bar and the DJ console . And
Milan to London, but from a constant
the two of you?
it’s a success!
search for new ideas and tendencies at
Basically it’s a question of style . I have a
an international level. His new ideas also
more instinctive approach, Alessandro is
stem from the close collaboration with
more scientific.
the chef of the restaurant, a creative
Who is your ideal client?
genius himself.
I like open minded and curious people
Style at the bar. How can a person tell if
who know what they like to drink and
the barman is good at what he does?
ask to be amazed. I appreciate sincere
From his talent to satisfy the customer’s
comments. The exchange of opinions is a
desires, while always respecting the
great way to become better at what you
philosophy of the place where he wor ks.
do.
What cocktails should we absolutely tr y
Are there any differences between the
at the Fusion Bar?
Italian clientele and the International
Ever y six months we change the cocktail
one?
list and almost ever y day we offer new
Often Americans just say, “Surprise me ,”
combinations. We tr y to make our new
which shows great tr ust and a desire to
89
J eremy H irons
at
T uscan S un F estival , S argent
and the
A merican I mpressionists
at
P alazzo S trozzi , M aggio M usicale F iorentino , T aste F air
F l o r e n ce 2012 events
The must-sees. Art, music, cinema, theatre, food, fashion and wine art
art
one men’s fashion fair are shows and
March 3- July 15, Palazzo Strozzi
May 11-13, Giardino Cor sini
glamorous events throughout the city
Amer icans in Florence . Sargent and
Artigianato & Palazzo
the American Impressionists
Ar ts & Cr afts fair. This year’s special
Amer ican impressionist painter s
guest is Officina Profumo Far maceutica di Santa Mar ia Novella, which
art
celebr ates its 400th anniver sar y
March 9 – July 15, Strozzina, Palazzo
art September 22 2012 - Januar y 27 2013, Palazzo Strozzi The Thirties. The Ar ts in Italy during Fascism
Strozzi
food&wine
American Dreamers
May 17-20, Villa Cor a
Eleven Amer ican contempor ar y
Divino Tuscany
cinema
ar tists
The event devoted to great Tuscan
October - December, Casa del Cinema
wines and conceived by James Suckling
Odeon
food&wine
50 days of international cinema in
March 10-12, Stazione Leopolda
music , theatre, cinema
Florence
Taste
June (dates to be decided)
Over nine film festivals featur ing shows
Italian gour met food and wine fair
Tuscan Sun Festival
and special guests
Inter national music , theatre , cinema music , theater
and lifestyle festival, for the fir st time
May 4 – June 10, Teatro Comunale
in Florence . Among the guests are John
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival
Malkovich and Jeremy Irons
The 75th edition of one of Italy’s
culture November 2-11 Florens
oldest and most impor tant oper a
fashion
The inter national week of Cultur al and
and music festivals. It opens with the
June 19-22, For tezza da Basso
Environmental Her itage planned by the
oper a Der Rosenkavalier by Richard
Pitti Immagine Uomo
Florens Foundation, featur ing a r ich
Str auss, conducted by Zubin Mehta
Running alongside the wor ld’s number-
progr am of events and wor kshops.
80
tips What are you like? Are you the Lungarno Hotel or Continentale type? Are you more attracted to the Gallery Hotel Art or Lungarno Suites? Or rather, are you the typical Portrait Suites type? And, what’s more, are you the classic, cool or creative kind? Does style rank high among your priorities? Do you travel with family or are you a confirmed single? Find out your tastes with our personality test. Choose the things to do and places to see in Rome and Florence according to your profile
hidden 81
Creative tips
collection For Gallery Hotel Art Types
day Good morning Our city shows its most intense and genuine side in the morning. A stop at the Caffè degli Artigiani is therefore a must. This delightful little place with furnishings that remind us of Paris is at the centre of Piazza della Passera, a little pearl not far from Palazzo Pitti. culture At a stone’s throw is the gallery belonging to the Gallery Hotel Art, a window on to the world of contemporary photography. Enjoy it. If you’re interested in fashion and costume design, then there are two places you must visit: the Galleria del Costume at Palazzo Pitti and the Biblioteca della Moda at the Istituto Polimoda at Villa Favard, on the Lungarno Vespucci. For those who enjoy going to unusual museums go to Oltrarno to the Museo della Specola to see the very curious anatomic models in wax from the 19th century. Then, it’s off to Palazzo Strozzi where you can visit the Centro di Cultura Contemporanea Strozzina: contemporary art spreads its wings in a Florentine Renaissance setting. Gourmet ‘Panino’ At ‘Ino you can only get the most original sandwiches; it’s located between the Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio. Mariano on Via del Parione is excellent and don’t forget I Fratellini, which has been around since 1875. tea time It’s called Brac, and it’s a contemporary art gallery, bookstore, and restaurant. You can look at books while enjoying a meal or an afternoon or evening snack, all of which are rigorously vegan.
T his
guest might be
dazzled by a beautiful painting , a photograph or a chef - designed dish , rather than by a piece of jewellery .
L eaving
aside
the traditional idea of a museum ,
H otel G allery
guests love to surround themselves with objects that stimulate their sharp sense of the aesthetic
night Happy hour In the heart of the Gallery Hotel Art is The Fusion Bar & Restaurant - your evening will start off in the best way possible; the memory of its cocktails will stay with you forever. Dinner La Giostra is a trattoria where the eccentric Soldano will lead you down a sensory journey where a love for food is only combined with that of art. Lungarno 23 only serves chianina beef – and it’s the best place to get a gourmet hamburger. Nightlife An after-dinner drink? In the centre of Santo Spirito is Volume, which is known for its eclectic vivacity (desserts and crepes are delicious and served until the wee hours). A bohemian air circulates at the Circolo Aurora, which is a key reference point in the San Frediano neighbourhood.
92
Hip tips
collection For Continentale Types
A ctive ,
day Good morning Begin the day with an hour of healthy jogging. If time isn’t a problem, it’s the best way to experience the city as it is waking up. Run up the avenues to Piazzale Michelangelo, and then descend back down to the city through Pian dei Giullari and Via San Leonardo. Afterwards, relax and take a hot shower in your suite: you could even spoil yourself with breakfast served in your room, or else try the traditional brioche & cappuccino. Where? In piazza della Signoria at Caffe Gilli and Paszkowski, the two hot spots. Shopping & Lunch Take a walk through the fashion district of Florence. All the main couturiers have shops on Via Tornabuoni, Via del Parione, Via della Vigna Nuova and Via degli Strozzi. Stop for a light, refined lunch at the brand new Caffe Isabelle or else at Obika, the innovative Mozzarella Bar which is located in the magic atmosphere of Palazzo Tornabuoni. If you are fascinated by the traditions of Florentine artisans and you want to experience the real feel of a craftsman’s studio here in the city, there’s no lack of choice, and they’re mainly situated in the Oltrarno. The most interesting ones are the Antico Setificio Fiorentino for its fabrics and Lorenzo Villoresi for its made to measure fragrances. CulturE The whole city is imbued with art. Besides the timeless places like the Uffizzi, the Cappelle Medicee or the Galleria dell’Accademia, you should also take advantage of being in Florence to look at the more contemporary side of the city, including the Museo Nazionale della Fotografia Alinari, the Isabella Brancolini Gallery or the Tethys Gallery. The Cinema Odeon in Piazza Strozzi always offers films in their original language and is the setting for numerous events and festivals during the year.
dynamic , always on
the lookout for new vibes .
T he
person that chooses
the
H otel C ontinentale
wants to experience all the facets of the city , from traditional to trendy .
night Dinner Choose from the best. There’s the cuisine and important wine list at Enoteca Pinchiorri (with three Michelin stars) or the creative cooking of Marco Stabile, Chef at Ora d’Aria, which earned its first star this year. Harry’s Bar is a classic and is always a great place to be. Or you can enjoy a candlelight dinner in the young and informal setting of Santo Bevitore. NIGHTLIFE If you don’t feel like going back to the hotel right away, you can take a walk in Oltrarno, the radical chic neighbourhood, which is full of creative types enjoying themselves into the early hours of the morning. Or else have a cocktail at Colle Bereto in Piazza Strozzi or at Caffe Giacosa.
93
Family tips
collection For Lungarno Suites Types
day Good morning Enjoy the morning hours at the Lungarno Collection. We are fully equipped to satisfy all the needs of even the youngest guests. If it’s a beautiful day, take advantage and go for a long walk at the Parco delle Cascine, the largest public park in the city. At the Parco dei Renai you can see many kinds of aquatic and migratory birds. Or else there’s the Giardino di Boboli, an open-air museum with wonderful landscape architecture and views, as well as sculpture gardens with pieces from Roman times dating back to the 20th century. LUNCH The Fusion Bar is a wonderful place for brunch for the whole family. Or, on Borgo San Jacopo, you can go to the wine-bar Ringo, which is one of the best places in Florence for a classic hamburger. Or else get a quick pizza at Pizzaiuolo: delicious cooking, informal atmosphere, perfect for everyone. culture Culture can also be fun: and it’s the best way to introduce young ones to a city with as rich an artistic patrimony as Florence. Experiments, simulations, secret journeys guided by entertainers and lots of laboratory experiments are always on show at the Museo dei Ragazzi which is part of Palazzo Vecchio and the main monuments, including Museo Stibbert, Cappella Brancacci in the Chiesa del Carmine, the Museo Storico Topografico and the Museo Leonardiano. Shopping time Go to Anichini at the Palazzo Ricasoli, which is devoted to elegant clothing for children and where there are endless numbers of clothes made to measure by skilled Florentine seamstresses. Or else there’s Britta in Bicicletta on Lungarno Torrigiani, a stone’s throw from Ponte Vecchio. There’s Petit Bateau on Via della Vigna Nuova or Monnalisa on Via del Corso.
F amily
size :
L ungarno S uites
is perfect for people looking for elegance and flexibility , combined with a level of comfort that is also impeccably tasteful .
T his
structure is conceived for both adults and children ,
night Night-slow-time Make a reservation for dinner and a show at Teatro del Sale: the chef Fabio Picchi calls out his menu from the kitchen and children have fun lining up to taste his rigorously Tuscan dishes. At the end of dinner the restaurant becomes the setting for concerts and fun shows. You might be lucky and get to see Maria Cassi, who is usually sold-out when she comes to the city. If you would rather have dinner somewhere quiet, go to Terrazza Bardini: in the summertime, its terrace becomes the ideal place to enjoy a cocktail and children will be enchanted by the breathtaking view.
94
with lots of ad hoc ideas
Classic tips
collection For Hotel Lungarno Types
F or
day Good morning If you are a guest of the Lungarno Collection structures, our first suggestion is to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of homemade bread and jam in your room or suite whilst enjoying the view of the river Arno. Mid-morning is perfect for shopping and a stop at Procacci in Via de’ Tornabuoni for a truffle sandwich, a favourite snack and delicacy of people with good taste. Relax Dress comfortably and wear walking shoes to enjoy a walk throught the Boboli gardens. Experience pure emotion and the explosion of nature in the heart of the city. lunch Make sure you try a real Florentine steak at 13 Gobbi or one of the other classic Tuscan dishes reinvented by the chef at the Ora d’aria, being sure to enjoy a good glass of Tuscan red wine, too. These are not places for a quick lunch, but they are worth two hours of your time. Culture The afternoon is for art. A temple of modern art is Palazzo Strozzi and the calendar of exhibits devoted to the masters of the 20th century will surely impress. Also worth visiting is the Museo Marino Marini, which has recently undergone an extraordinary architectural renovation. The Florentine Museum Group organizes guided tours of the Vasari Corridor, a jewel designed by Vasari.
people who like to live
well and feel great , the guests of
H otel L ungarno
love beauty in all its forms and are constantly seeking out small , new places where glamour is whispered and attention is given to their personal needs
night happy hour If a Bellini at Harry’s Bar seems too Venetian, relax a bit on the sofas of the Fusion Bar at the Gallery Hotel Art, leaf through one of the many international magazines available and enjoy a glass of bubbly. dinner&theatre Two wonderful options: Borgo San Iacopo is one of the most romantic and elegant restaurants in the city: a candlelight dinner and a night-time stroll around Florence is an excellent way to end the day. But if your desire for culture is not satisfied, consider a visit to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. The Festival takes place May through June and it’s the real thing for people who love the opera and symphonies. You can always go to the restaurant after the opera.
95
Stylish tips
collection For Portrait Suites Types
T he
day Good morning A Roman vacation should begin in the most classic way, at Caffe Greco on Via Condotti, right in front of the sparkling windows of Bulgari. Or else go to Babington’s, the old tearoom in an 18th century building that looks out over Piazza di Spagna. Don’t miss a visit to the Caravaggio at the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi and the Church of Sant’Agostino. Smart lunch It’s hard not to bump into a famous actor when you’re at the Hostaria da Pietro, one of the most authentic trattorias in the city on Via di Gesu and Maria. Its artichokes alla giudea are a must, as are its traditional pasta dishes. An alternative that’s a little lighter could be oysters and champagne at Riccioli Caffe in Via delle Coppelle; don’t expect anything too fancy, as the atmosphere is young and informal but the quality is superb. Walking Take a walk through the centre of the city and enjoy visiting the most wonderful boutiques. There’s Gente, a historic multi-brand boutique where you can find the best of the season’s collections. Or else go to Degli Effetti, in Piazza Capranica, a smart young store dedicated to independent international designers. For the little ones, go to Nikilo’ on Via Settembrini it’s a well kept secret address for this most exclusive designers’ work. Make your way to Palazzo Valentini, where Piero Angela has created an incredible three-dimensional construction of what was once the original piece of architecture.
avant - garde philosophy
of
S alvatore F erragamo
is the seal of style of the
P ortrait S uites H otel in R ome . C hoosing the P ortrait means being part of this way of thinking , a chance to share in the heritage , and all the elegance of the
F erragamo
night Cocktail Have a Manhattan at Elle. Classic and chic. Dinner Go to Settembrini, for traditional Italian recipes in a modern key. Or else take a walk through the artistic neighbourhood of Monti and stop at Trattoria Monti. Roscioli is a gourmet food store during the day and at night it becomes a small, intimate, unique restaurant - one of the best in the city. Don’t forget Pastificio San Lorenzo; if you’ve got a sweet tooth, go to Said, the old chocolate factory directly opposite. It’s a multi-sensory experience.
96
name
In Italia nel 2011 l’e-commerce è cresciuto del 20%. Scegli di sfruttare le potenzialità dei canali internet e mobile. Scopri le soluzioni e-commerce MICROS per il tuo hotel, ristorante o negozio. PER INFORMAZIONI TEL.039.2364.403
www.micros.com
Micros is partner of Lungarno Collections
Univer se
collection
P alazzo C apponi
H otel L ungarno G allery H otel A rt L ungarno S uites
Continentale
CROSS SELLING
the Ponte Vecchio, ideal for a romantic toast
Fusion cuisine or traditional Italian cooking?
Sala Bianca - Continentale: Sushi Bar with a view
Relaxing with a cocktail on one of the loveliest
over Florence’s rooftops
terraces in Florence or with a glass of champagne
Design
along the Arno river, in perfect Bateau Mouche-
Lungarno Details Store: the pleasure of purchasing
style? You have only half an hour for a special and
an object in perfect Lungarno Collection style at
sophisticated shopping experience? The luxur y
the Group’s official store
hotels, bars, restaurants and design stores of the
WHAT’S NEXT - SPRING 2012
Lungarno Collection group, like a mini-resor t
Wellness desire
within an area of 500 square meters extending
White Spa – Continentale: the temple of wellness
between the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Galler y,
where all treatments are based on the awarded
allow you to change and choose the kind of
Care Suite Daniela Steiner line.
atmosphere and ser vice you prefer. And you can
Breakfasting around
have it all charged to your room. Here are the
The chance to choose from two different kinds of
options:
breakfast buffets:
Dining around
Breakfast at the Lungarno Hotel: classic-style,
Fusion Restaurant - Galler y Hotel Art: sophisticated
sweet and savour y all-Italian options, house-made
Asian and Mediterranean cuisine
pastries and freshly-baked bread
Borgo San Jacopo - Hotel Lungarno: a multi-awarded Breakfast at the Galler y Hotel Art: organic and Italian restaurant
local food, seasonal fruit and vegetable juices and
Bar experiences
smoothies, for the health-conscious and in-shape
Picteau Lounge - Hotel Lungarno: chocolate and
enthusiasts.
champagne bar, tearoom, Farmacia Santa Maria
Yatch collection
Novella herbal teas
Swan and Lungarno Collection: the cruise-racer
Fusion Bar - Galler y Hotel Art: enjoy the creativity
fleet is getting bigger, with the addition of 5
of famous barmen
yachts for unforgettable sailing cruises in the
Sky lounge - Continentale: the terrace overlooking
Mediterranean and Caribbean.
98
SULLE MIGLIORI TAVOLE DEL MONDO
L’UNICO MODO PER SCOPRIRE I SEGRETI DEI GRANDI CHEF È SEDERSI A TAVOLA CON LORO. VI ACCORGERESTE CHE C’È UNA COSA CHE NON MANCA MAI, ANZI DUE.
collection
collection The Lungarno Collection Magazine
florence special friends Bianca Balti Massimiliano Giornetti Davide Rampello Stephen Jones Giorgio Albertazzi
N.1 S pring - S ummer I ssue 2012
itineraries Florence by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo Contemporary Rome Maremma by Gaddo della Gherardesca interviews Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Francesca Colombo Giovanni Gentile style Michele Bรถnan Mona Kuhn at Gallery Hotel Art Fashion Museums in Florence A Swan Cruise & Lungarno Collection city tips
hidden